Make
Your Wishes Known
“‘He
will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning
or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
– Revelation 21:4
No more death. No more
tears. No more shattered hearts. Oh, I am so looking forward to that day!
Some phone calls you
just don’t want to receive. “ICU.” “In really bad shape.” “Not sure if she’ll
make it.” “I knew you’d want to know.” “It doesn’t look good.”
A spouse and children
shattered by what’s to come. How could someone seemingly so healthy suddenly be
near death? How do you pray? You want healing on this earth but at what cost? Is
it better to pray for peace and comfort? I’m so thankful God makes those
decisions. His will. Always. His will.
There is a comfort that
goodbye won’t be forever. How do those without that assurance deal with the separation?
How do they let go? How can we?
Death seems to be a
constant companion in this season of life. The generation of my parents is
going on to a better place, leaving us here to mourn. We talk about God’s will.
But what about the grief that comes when His will breaks our hearts?
Decisions aren’t easy
to make when your heart is shattered. We put off death. We put off the
conversations that tell our loved ones what we’d want them to do. It’s as
though we believe if we don’t talk about death, it won’t come. But it will.
Death is as much a part of life as birth.
So, what would your
loved ones want if they couldn’t speak for themselves? Would they want you to
try everything to keep them alive? Would they choose to let go of this life,
without heroic measures, ventilators, and such? Would they ask you to consider
quality of life? Would they want to live if living meant a life tethered to
machines, unable to breath or walk or function alone?
Tough questions.
Necessary questions. It’s not a matter of age. Anyone who has lived a life
knows that death can come at any age and at any moment. We are not guaranteed
another minute. Yet we sometimes act as though we have all the time in the
world. We don’t.
Take time today to
learn of your loved ones’ wishes. And tell them yours. Write it all down. Don’t
wait for a better time or another day. You don’t want to be in a time and place
where, with your heart breaking, you’re having to make life and death
decisions. It’s an awful place to be.
One day those of us who
believe in Jesus Christ as our Risen Savior will live forever in heaven. There
will be no more tears or pain. Death won’t ever come again. Jesus made sure of
that. But for now let’s do all we can to help each other navigate this indescribable
pain. Let your wishes be known before your loved ones need to know.
